How Do I Become a Room Attendant?

It is fairly simple to become a room attendant — also known as a maid or housekeeper. Hotels seeking to fill this important tourism-related position frequently hire people who have a basic education and little or no experience. You rarely need a lot of training to become a room attendant, but you will need to be physically capable of doing the job. You also may need to be willing to work long hours, but there are chances for promotion.

To become a room attendant you will need to have a high school diploma or an equivalency degree. No other education is required for an entry-level room attendant position. You can take courses in hospitality that can help you gain experience and, possibly, a higher-paying position. These courses are sometimes available through local colleges.

There is little to no experience required to become a room attendant. You will need to know how to clean a room and how to disinfect items such as hot tubs and telephones. Much of this knowledge can be learned during on-the-job training, though some larger hotel chains may require that you have a year's experience in working as a room attendant elsewhere before considering you for a job.

The job of a room attendant requires very little training. Depending on the hotel for which you work, you may receive a few days of training or you could be trained for a few months. During training you likely will be paired with an experienced room attendant to show you what to do. You also will be trained in hotel policies and customer service.

It is important that you are physically able to do the tasks required if you want to become a room attendant. You will need to be able to stand for long hours. You also need to be able to do such tasks as bending to clean a bathtub or climbing on a stool. Hotels may be required to make accommodations for those who have disabilities and only need small changes to the job to be able to complete the tasks.

Room attendant positions are available as part-time and full-time work, but you may work long shifts. Work often is done during the day, but some hotels also have evening shifts for room attendants. Working on holidays and weekends also may be required.

When you become a room attendant, it need not be the end of your career. As you gain experience you may be considered for higher positions. Some hotels will send you for further training. You may be promoted to executive housekeeper or even become a supervisor or part of the managerial staff.